HOME SECURITY

Years of experience as an administrator and corporate CEO provided ample opportunity to participate in the design and construction of public buildings and work places. Security was a major component. Most of the same security measures in the business world may be applied to your home.

As I look around our neighborhood, I see many practices which run contrary to good security measures. Please take time to review some of the following measures to see which ones you may be able to apply to your home.

Landscaping

 Maintain open sight lines through careful planning of landscaping features and lighting.

 Hidden areas adjacent to the home, that might provide offenders with “cover”, can be made safer by opening them up.

 Landscaping is located far enough away from the building or trimmed appropriately to avoid providing roof, window or second story access.

 Ensure natural surveillance from the surrounding neighborhood is maintained, allowing neighbors and passing patrol cars to help serve as guardians of your home.

 Walls or fences do not provide footholds for climbing or provide “cover” to hide behind.

 Back yard walls or fences are not climbable and outdoor furniture, planters and landscaping features are far enough from enclosures to eliminate climbing opportunities.

Exterior Lighting

 Exterior lighting is uniform and eliminates pockets of shadows and glare.

 Lighting fixtures are designed to avoid providing handholds for climbing.

 Exterior lighting is well maintained.

 Exterior lighting scheme is effective for enhancing natural surveillance:

– Illuminate the grounds if the home is to be patrolled from the interior.

– Security lighting should be directed at the building if the home is patrolled from the outside.

 Avoid excessive illumination of adjacent neighborhood.

Home Exterior

 Ensure home and yards are well maintained.

 Exterior doors should be constructed of steel, aluminum, or solid core hardwood.

 Exterior doors should be fully framed and equipped with breakage-resistant tempered glass or have narrow windows, sidelights, fish-eye viewers or cameras to permit seeing who is outside.

 Door sidelights should be sized and located so that if they are broken, vandals cannot reach through and open the door from the inside.

 Basement windows are protected from unauthorized entry by security grills or window well covers.

Inside the Home

 Deadbolts are used on all exterior doors.

 All windows lock securely. Sliding windows have lift and slide protection.